Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-01-08

InA EUlNIlAlNu Va az y
many embarrassments to progress in the
work OF leading the Indians to the adoption
OF our institutions and bringing them under
The operat on, the influence and the protec
tinn OF the universal laws OF our country.
The recommendations of the >eeretary OF The
Interior aud the Commissioner Of the Gen
cral Land Office, looking 10 the better pro
lection or
UBLIC LANDS
and of the public surveys. The preservation
OF national forests. the adjudication of grants
10 States and CORPORATIONS and OF private
land claims, and the increased efficiency OF
the puhlic land service, are commended tothe
attention of Congress, 10 secure the WIDEST
distribution OF public lands IN limited Quanti'
lies among ,ttlers OF residence aud cultiva.
ton, and thus make the greatest number OF
individual homes. was the primary object OF
the public land legislation in the early days
Of the Republic.
This system was II simple one. lt com
menced with an admirable scheme OF public
surveys. hy yhich the humblest citizen could
identify the tract upon which be wished TO es'
iabIlsh his home. Thu price or lnud was
nlarpl within the reach or all the enterprls-
ing, ihdustr.o Gus aud honest pioneer cil'ze !
of the country. II was soon. however, fonnd
that the object of the laws was perverted un'
i,r The system of cash sales from u distruu'
ton of land among the people TO an accumu'
lntsoa of land capital by wealthy n specu'
latiys persons. 10 check this tendency O
nFtI+ItiOC lAhN ~
settlers on the land, q plan which culuiinaleu
In tie general presumption ACT OF iAi.
Irecommcnd The repeal OF the presumption
and timber culture acts. aud that the home
stead laws be so amcnde as to better secure
compliance with thcir requirements OF T ST.
lcuce. Improvement and cultivation for the
period Of live years from date OF entry, win
out Communication or provision Tor Sptcuia'
tive REIMBURSEMENT. | also recommend the
repeal of the desert land laws, unless 1t shall
hp the pleasure , I the Congress to SO amend
these lava as to render them less liable to
+ abuses AZ the chief motive Tor an EVASION
of the laws. aud t1e principal cause ot thelr
/ result in land accumulation instead OF land
distribution, Ia the facility with wbichtrans'
fers are made OF the right intended to be So
cured TO settlers. il may b. deem d u dvisab!e,
TO provide by legislation some guards anu
vurehe vpots tho alienation OF homestead
| rights and LANDS covered thereby until pat
entS issue.
PENSIONS.
The report Of the Commissioner OF Pensions
contains a detailed ana most satisfactory OK
hibit of the operations of the Pension Bureau
during the last fiscal yeaE.
The amount OF work done was the largest
In any year since the organization OF the
bureau, and il has pecn lone al less cost than
daring the rerioIS yeSr ia every division.
| On tire 18th day OF June, 1885, here were 3D.
1S3 pensioners on the rolls of the bureau.
Since 1861 there have been l,0ls, '35 applica-
tons for pensions fled, of which 7S.sii were
based upon services in the war or lsl2. There
were 81, 75i OF these applications allowed, in.
ending 10, rs TO the soldiers of 1872 and their
widows.
The total amount paid for pensions since
1851 IN SS0s, "A, sll.jI. The uumbe of new
pensions allowed during the year ended June
%, 1855, il 4Js,I, n larger number than has
been sllowed III any year save one since 1861;
I he N mesoi2, 20 pensioners which had been
previously dropped from the rolls were re-
stored during the year, ana after dcduct'ng
those dropped within the same time for Va
rioIs causes, u net increase remains for the
yCaJof sb.S1S names. From January l., 1851.
10 December ], 1855. 1885, private pension acts
! had been passed. Since tho last named date,
and during the last session Of the Congress,
"a such acts became laws.
1t seerrs to me that no one can examine
our ptn:ion establishment and Is operations
without being convinced that through lis in
strumpntality justice can lie very nearly
done to all who are entitled uudcr present
law to the pension bounty OF the Goverli'
ment.
BUTT is u%ndoniable that cases exist, well en-
titled to relief, in which the Pension Bureau
IL pOwcrless to relieve. The really worthy
cdSea of this class are such as only
lack by misfortune the kind Of quantity OF
PROF. which the law and regulations of the
liuroap require, or which, though their mer-
ii Is apparent. for somc other reason can not
be Justly dealt with through general laws.
These com tons fully justify appiicat on
TO tic Congress and special c~uactmcnts. But
resort to the Congcss for a special pens on
act 70 override the deliberate aud careful de-
termination of the Pension Bureau on the
merits, or to secure favorable action when
Ii could not he expected under the most lib-
| erdl eXccut on OF general laws, IT must he
admitted, opens the door to the allowance Of
questionable claims, ana presents TO the leg
lative and executive branches Of the Govern
mcnt applications conccdcdlY not withint the
law, and plainly devoid OF merit, hut SO sur-
rounded bv sentiment and patriotic feeling
that they are hard to resist,
suDpOs IL will DUi be denied that many
clalin- Tor pension are made without merit,
and that m'ny have been allowed upon
fraudulent representations. This has been
dccla1cl from the Passion Bureau not only
in this but in prior administrations The
usefulness ana the Justice of nny :, Stetn for
he dish, button Of pensions depend upon the
equality and uniformity OF lis operation. 1t
VIII be seen from the report of the Conmis-
sioncr that there are now paid by the Gov
crnruont III different rates of pension.
Estimates from the hest Information we
can obtain show that 800 of those wing have
served in the army and navy OF the United
states are now supported, in whole or in
Tari, from public funds OF by Organized
charities, exclusive OF thnso N So!d!ers
Homes under the direction and control of
he Government. Only thirteen pr cent:
OF these are pensioners, while of
Nv w mn VI lit IuIb4Suth WI VI
ate war something like twenty per cent, in
0ludiug their widows8 and relatives have been
Or DOW are IN receipt of pensions. TheAmer-
can lcoplc with II ratriotic grateful regard
gor our eN-soldiers too broad AMI too sacred
o he m~OnOpOlized by any SPECIAL advocates,
are not only wiling but ANXIOUS that equal
aud exact justice should be done to all hon
estci,imtnts for pensions
Every patriotic heart responds tn q tender
aGTZ nnFnttnn thp thnen NuIn huN.iar EpVE.4
Their country long aud well, are reduced TO
restitution and dependence, not rs I'm Incl
dent OF their >crr CO, but with advancing age
or through sickness or misfortune. We are
all tempted by the contemplation Of such n
conl tlOn to supply relief and are often ilnpa-
tient OF the limitations of public duty. Yield
my 10 no one in the desire To indulge this
feel! nS of consideration ! can not rid myself
of tho conviction that if these cX-s0ldicrs
are 10 be relieved, they and their cause are
entitled to the benefit of an enactment,
urder which rclitf may be claimed
as a right, and that such relief should be
Er lnted under the sanction of law, not in
evasion OF IL; nor should such worthy OBJ
iectS of care, nil equally entitled, be re-
united tn the unequal operation of synpathy
Or the tender nercies OF social and pol tioal
influence, with their unjust determinations
TIRE rArEN OFFICE.
On the tth of March, 1856, the current bust
ness of the Pateu, @ ice was, on an average,
ave and a hall months beh nd. At the close
uf he last fiscal wear such current work was
hut three months ia arrears. and {, Is as
se?fcd and believed that In the neat
iew ln0nlha the delay in obtaining
an examination or an application for u
patent will be but uminul The number ui
Applications for patents during the last fiscal
year, including rcissurs, designs, trademarks
and labels, equals 1865. when is considerable
i'eNcess of the number received daring any
preceding year. The receipts OF the Patent
onice dur ng the year aggregated Si,2E, i6'.AD.
cilabiiGg tue oilicc 10 turn into tho Trun,ury
u surplus revenue, over and above all eXpend-
itures, or about llGb,Tla. 3.
The plumber OF patents granted during the
iast hscai year, including renewals, trade
marks, designs and labels, was 2S6l9-a mum.
her also quite largely in excess of that OF any
preceding year. The rene, OF the Commas.
sioncr shows the Office to DO in y prosperous
condition and constantly incrcas ny in its
business. No Increase OF force IL asked for.
Tue amount estimated FOR the fiscal year end.
Ing June ~, lsSd, was SSal, 40. The amount
estimated for the year ending June ~, 1887,
was SsJ},9D.
The amount estimated for the fsca, year
ending June ~. lSss, il S1IS,ii0.
The Secretary Of the Interior suggests a
change in the plan for the paymcnt OF the in.
dehtedness OF the
PACIFIC SUBSIDIZED ROAUs
TO the Government. His suggestion has the
unanimous endorsement of the persons Sc.
iected by the Government to act ~ directors
OF these roads, and protect the interests of
the United states IN the Board OF Directors.
In considering the plan proposed the sole
matters which should be taken INFO accom- A.,
In nv opinion, are the situation Of the Gov.
ernment As a crcditor, and the surest way 10
secure the payment of the principle and In
tcrCst of ITS debt. BY "a recen; decision of the
supreme Court OF the United States It has
been adiudged that the laws OF the sevcrai
States are imperative 10 requisite rates OF
transportation upon railroads, II such rcg,.-
lation intcrfcres tn the rate OF carriage
from one state into another. Tbs impor--